With just one game to play before their home World Cup, the Football Ferns appear to be running out of time to turn around their recent poor form.
A 3-0 defeat to Nigeria has extended the side's winless run to 10 games, leading to calls for an SOS cry to a veteran of the side.
Another game, another disappointing performance and the same old story for the NZ women... and the same frustrations for coach Jitka Klimkova.
"It was not good enough for us how we defended in front of our goal, specifically in the box," she said.
Results under Klimkova don't make for great reading. Just three wins and four draws in the last 23 games is far from ideal heading into a historic home World Cup.
With Klimkova questioning her side's grit and their willingness to put their bodies on the line against Nigeria, concern is growing.
"I feel that's something the players need to bring themselves and need to hold themselves accountable," said former Football Ferns midfielder Kirsty Yallop.
The international centurion believes the current side needs experience and NZ Football should make an SOS call to veteran defender Abby Erceg to end her international retirement.
The 146-game Football Fern has played at four previous World Cups and four Olympics, captaining New Zealand at the 2016 Rio Olympics, but retired from the national side for a third time in January, choosing to focus on her US professional career.
"She could be the difference in making it out of the group stages," Yallop told Newshub. "I can understand maybe she feels the group isn't up to it and we can see that with the results, and it's not maybe an environment she wants to be part of."
Yallop questions why Erceg, 33, walked way from the environment so close to a major home tournament.
"I definitely think it is a concern," she said. "You have to be wondering why your best player - or one of your best players - doesn't want to be part of that environment and what are those reasons."
Former Fern Maia Jackman agrees the call should be made, but admits it's a long shot.
"She's a different class, when it comes to being under pressure," she told Newshub. "I think it's going to be a tough ask to get her back and there's a little bit of water under the bridge.
"She's a woman with integrity."
Whatever the answer, the Football Ferns need to find it soon.
